Plantscape, Inc.

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 6, 2015/10/02) */

This letter is our response to the letter we received from the Revdex.com of Northern Indiana on September 28th, 2015 concerning Mr. [redacted], Mr. [redacted] ernailed our office on August 22, 2015. He wanted to fill out an application for a Loft...

apartment which was available. During the application process he was working with our Leasing Agent, Michele Butler. He made an appointment to view the Loft but he called and canceled. He asked Michele to email lihn the paperwork. Be filled the paper work out for the loft and signed our Statement of Rental Policy and emailed the paperwork back to Michele. He also paid the application fee of $35.00 on his Visa. Michele processed his application. When she was finished with his application she called him and informed him that his application was approved. He told her he wanted the Loft. Michele told him he would need to pay the $200.00 holding fee. This would hold this apartment for him On 9/15/2015, [redacted] called and put the $200.00 holding fee on his Visa. On 9/16/2015 [redacted] called and told Michele he did not want the Loft and that he had called another apartment community and he was more interested in their apartment, so he will not be moving in to the Loft. He asked what would happen to my deposit and Michele said she would call him back he said ok just let me know. Michele called him back the same day and left a voice message the she was sorry however the application was approved and the deposit is non-refundable.
If you take a look at our Statement of Rental Policy form, it does state, "Upon the application being approved, the Holding Fee will be non-refundable. If the applicant cancels the move in, the Holding Fee will be forfeited." All applicants sign this form and are informed about this clause. Attached is the form in which Mr. [redacted] did sign. When he called and canceled his move in, he did ask Michele to call him and let know about his holding fee. Michele did call him back and leave a voice message about the Holding fee is non refundable. He did not call us back. Please let me know if you need any more information. Thank you,
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 11, 2015/10/08) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
On Sat. August 22nd they called me and told there was a loft available and I paid my 35 dollar fee and was told I should probably put 200.00 hold fee down to insure no one else get the loft, I declined at the time, when I called back on Thursday they informed me that the loft had been rented to anther couple. They called me on Sept. 22nd and informed me the same loft was available and asked if I wanted it, so I paid the 200.00 dollar hold fee, but after doing some research and getting information about anther apartment being available I decided to not take the loft. When I asked the very next day about getting my hold money back they refused.
Final Business Response /* (4030, 14, 2015/10/20) */
I received your response letter on wanting a middle ground. We operate under policies and Fair Housing Laws. The forms that Mr. [redacted] signed, states if an applicant cancels a move in then their holding deposit is forfeited. There is no time limited on this action. We do not refund a Holding Deposit if an applicant cancels their move in. There is nothing more I can do. Thank you.